A Summer Breeze Comes Knocking Again
by GraePearl
Summary: Love is strange. It is different for all who experience it, but one thing remains constant: it is something that can only be felt. To a certain human girl and river spirit, maybe love could also be seen? They both had promises to fulfill, so why not start now?
**Just something I thought about after watching this amazing movie! Please enjoy!**

"Is that her?"

"Yeah, she's the one with all the good grades."

"No way!"

Whispers went back and forth in the locker area as a young girl slipped off her school shoes and switched them out for more functional sneakers. All eyes seemed to be on her as she went about her business without anyone talking directly to her but more against her. Even so, she never took notice of their words.

"That's the girl who always sits alone at lunch on the roof."

"Why does she do that?"

"I don't know, I've seen her through up there. I think she's a shut in."

Once her shoes were on her feet, she tapped each toe on the ground till her footwear was on comfortably. She repositioned her bag and walked out into the open air. No matter through for the whispers and the gossip continued behind her back.

"She's worn the same hair tie since she moved here."

"I heard she hit her head when she was littler. That's why she's so weird."

"Why is she so alone? It's really sad."

She had heard all the whispers, she's heard all their words, but they never rubbed her the wrong way. They never seemed to because in the grand scheme of things, it just didn't matter that much anymore. The high schooler had gotten used to it by now.

Their words couldn't bother her as she walked down the same sidewalk into the city. Gossip or not, nothing would get done if she stood around worrying about it.

Today was a good day after all, despite the usual rumours. The sun was beaming across a light azure sky with hints of wispy clouds that seemed to stretch so far away. Town birds flittered to and from electrical poles with canticles on their beaks. It wasn't a day to be working indoors.

A black cat sitting on a gray wall jumped onto the girl's shoulder as she walked by. The animal nuzzled into the student's neck and began to purr at meeting her companion. In return, the human reached up and scratched the feline behind her ears with all the affection she could offer up.

"It's good to see you too, Kuro!"

She could see in the cat's green eyes that she was saying "Good afternoon, Chihiro!" right back at her. Just seeing that look filled Chihiro with a newfound skip in her step. Using that positive momentum, she pumped a fist into the air and called out to the sky.

"Time to go to work!"

* * *

"Thank you for coming! Enjoy the rest of your evening!" Chihiro chirped with a bow and a smile. Behind the counter, Kuro was hidden away, licking her paw and snoozing on and off throughout the teen's shift. The patron that the youth had just served threw a wave as they walked out of the convenient store.

"Thanks Chihiro!" With that, he left with a plastic bag filled to the brim with ramen cups. He was a regular college student who stopped in frequently for a cheap meal and a conversation. In the spring, he was leaving for America to find a job and live closer to his recently moved family.

Chihiro nodded in satisfaction with her work and looked to the clock in the back. It wasn't long until her shift would be over and she could head on home to finish her homework promptly.

"Hey Chihiro!" She heard someone call from behind the counter. The brunette turned towards the call to see her manager, a woman with a confident streak and the most confident glint in her eyes. It was a comforting reminder of a certain bathhouse worker Chihiro once called her big sister when said woman wasn't looking. How she missed that woman and all her other companions since that summer.

The manager lady walked over and patted her underling on the back, beaming the world at the younger female. "Why don't you head home early today? You have finals coming up tomorrow and you need all the time in the world to prepare."

Chihiro gasped and clasped her hands together. "You mean it?"

"You bet, now get outta here kiddo!" The manager patted her on the back and took her place at the register. The girl bowed before heading to the back room to hang up her apron for the night. Keeping up behind her was Kuro, tail held regally high as if she owned the ground he walked on.

The manager smirked and thought aloud while she waited for other customers to finish their purchases. "Wonder where she gets her work ethic?"

* * *

The teacher stood at the front of the classroom keeping a watchful eye over the students as they took their final tests they'll ever have in high school. Pencils flew across the papers handed out and heads were bowed in concentration. Tension was running so high, you could barely hear a single person breath in fear of causing a scene.

All that could be heard was a clock on the wall and the occasional patter of feet from the hall. In time, people began to panic that they wouldn't finish in time. Even the teacher was getting nervous and stood with their eyes sweeping over the students, making the nerves run more rampant.

No one could relax.

Chihiro on the other hand sat up nicely and neatly filled in her answers with grace and poise. She didn't rush her answer, but rather thought them through carefully. While she was calm, her answers came faster than the others, flowing from her mind onto the test paper as if the action of think and transferring it down to paper was almost like a river stream.

Time ticked steadily on as the test was coming to an end. Sweat formed on almost every head out of fear. No one could retake this test, nor was there extra time set aside to finish incomplete answers that were left behind. It was crunch time and no turning back now.

Finally, after two agonizing hours, the bell rang. There was a mix of sighs, groans, and even a little scream of horror at the call for the end of the day. The teacher straightened his tie and narrowed his eyes over his glasses.

"Alright, please hand in your tests before you leave. Tomorrow, you will find out if you passed or not." One by one, the tests were handed in. Teenagers flooded out the door to mix with the leaving crowd outside. Some smiled in satisfaction, others almost refused to hand in their papers and just pleaded with the teacher to just give them a failing grade to save their misery.

Chihiro sat back at her desk to avoid any traffic on her way out. She looked over her test one last time, satisfied with it being completely done and over with. "Nice work!" She mumbled to herself. "Momma would be proud. Papa and I are gonna celebrate tonight for sure!"

Once the majority of the class had left the room did Chihiro step up from her seat and walk up to the front desk. She laid her papers neatly on the stack that had been piled high enough to give the teacher grief.

Before she could go through the door, downstairs, and back home though, the teacher threw a comment as she left.

"Take care now, Miss Ogino. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Saitama-Sensei!" Chihiro quickly exclaimed before rushing out the door and to the locker banks. Mr. Saitama grinned and rubbed his bald head. "That girl is a strange one indeed."

* * *

Chihiro looked over a waving field of green prairie grass. A modest farm house was at her back and Kuro was no longer at her side. The poor old tomcat had died a lavish death the month after the now young woman graduated high school. It was sad she had to say goodbye to yet another member of her family, but she knew that Kuro was in good hands.

The family of two just needed a fresh start once more, so they packed up and moved out to the countryside to be closer to nature with less distractions of city life.

Across the field was a vast forest that seemed to stretch over a looming mountain region. In the middle of the field was a potato and carrot farm with this year's spring crop growing strong against the elements.

What a home the now adult had made for herself. The decision to work on her retired father's farm instead of being cooped up in some university for years without her only kin left was surly to drive her mad in the long run. Besides, being close to nature and living an honest life made her all the more happier. Not to mention riding her bike to and from neighboring farms to help any way she could also gave a sense of pleasure.

Chihiro stretched her arms open and breathed in the morning air. The sun was just beginning to rise over the land and bless the earth with it's warmth and joy. Without even having to guess, she knew it was going to be a productive day.

As was her morning tradition, she clapped her hands together and sent a little prayer to the breeze that ruffled the peace of the land. Her eyelids closed as she raised her voice on the wind.

"Dear mother, please watch over our crop and let Dad know he mustn't be disheartened. Kuro, scare the crows away in spirit, but don't forget your afternoon nap." Chihiro opened her eyes, but her hands still remained clasped.

"Haku, please bless the river in which our water comes from." Two claps and she was silent for a moment of reflection.

Pleasant memories she often recalled on came back once more. Zeniba who had brought so much in perspective about her journey and was like the granny she never had. No Face, the greedy monster who had also possessed great compassion and willingness for a friend. Lin, her mentor who saw Chihiro to the very end. Kamaji, who had given up something precious so that the girl could save the people she loved.

Even Boh and the fly had found a place in her heart as good traveling companions. All of them she would never forget as long as she lived.

Last but not least, Haku. He had saved her more than once, given up so much, and risked it all so that her parent so her parents may be returned to normal again. Her first and possibly only love that had kindled something inside her from the moment he had fished her from his river so long ago.

If she forgot all others, he was the one she couldn't possibly forget. Not twice. It was an impossibility that would be repeated a second time.

Chihiro un-entwined her fingers and took one last deep breath. Her heart yearned for what felt like the billionth time in her life. She longed to see her mother, her friends, her adventures. She longed to return to the world that had struck a flame in her soul and gave her the courage to move on and live her life.

The only question that eluded her was when would she see them all again.

"No time to dwell," she concluded. "There's work to be done."

Oh, she had missed Yubaba and her constant yelling to get things done. Even the witch had somehow found a way to sneak into her life. Might as well be thankful for her persistent nagging for work to be done swiftly and efficently. As Chihiro walked back up the path to the tool shed, she sent one last prayer.

"And thank you, Yubaba...I mean it..."

* * *

"My grandson, Shiro is missing!"

Chihiro and her father stood in shock at the news that their neighbor had just told them. It was pouring rain and the man was well past being physically fit, but came on foot anyway to deliver the grim message. Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the terror that peppered the situation further.

"He said he was going into the woods to collect some stick, but he hasn't come back." The elder huffed while clutching his thin coat around his shaking form. "I-I tried calling someone, but the phone lines are down.

The woman's father brought the old farmer inside. "Don't worry, I'll gather the others and we'll go send a search party."

The young lady knew Shiro. He was an adventurous child who was mild tempered in his soul. He knew better than to stay out in a storm this violent. Chihiro knew in her head that something wasn't right. Shiro had to be found soon, and there was only one thing left to do.

Chihiro shook her head and hurried into the mud room near the entrance. "No! The message won't reach them in time." She came out of the mud room with a raincoat and a flashlight in a white fist. "You're getting old, Dad, don't deny it. By the time you call on the others, it might already be too late!"

"Chihiro, what do you mean?"

"I'll start first. At least we'll have a better chance of finding him!"

The father and elder stared at her in fear. "Chihiro! It's raining the end of days out there. You might get hurt!" Chihiro just pulled up her hood and turned up the flashlight. She stepped past the men and waved. "I'm sorry, but a boy's life is at stake! I promise I'll come back with him!"

Without paying attention to her father's distraught cries, Chihiro made a running break down the path that lead towards the forest. From her time living here, she had tried to investigate the woods and learn how to navigate them. She was far from a master, but at least she had some knowledge of how to get back home.

The rain pelted her face and her light was limited in the darkening sky, yet there was a fire in her heart that refused to die out.

"SHIRO!"

* * *

Chihiro had combed the woods near the house, there was no sign of little Shiro. She had called out his name again and again, but to no avail. There were no tracks, no clues, not even a single hint as to where he might be.

The storm had grown steadily worse and time was running slowly out for the boy. Chihiro knew the dangers of these storms, how easy it was for someone to get lost in these woods by themselves. Hope for Shiro was dying without haste.

"SHIRO!" Chihiro called again, whipping her head back and forth through the deluge. "SHIRO! It's me, Chihiro! SHIRO!"

She was answered with a strike of prideful thunder striking the mountain side. Her chest contorted in a sharp pain. Not the kind of physical pain that would warrant a doctor's visit, but a mental and emotional pain of helplessness.

Her promise was slowly wilting like a flower on the cusp of winter's chilling fingers.

Despite that, she yelled and pleaded for him until her voice failed her. Her throat and eyes stung from the downpour that impaired her vision. Her coat did little to prevent the endless shivering and shaking that racked her body in a violent manner. Not even her raspy gasps for more air as she ran could keep herself heated.

Finally, she came to a raging river that had outgrown its banks and washed over the usually empty bed of rocks. Waves crashed and collided as if in a brawl to reached the end of the rapids first, willing to beat the others to near death in the process.

"Help me!" Someone begged through the thundering sound of the uproar. Chihiro waved her flashlight all around in the night. "Shiro? SHIRO!"

At last, her light caught a drenched figure clinging desperately to a tree on the other side of the river. It was little Shiro, holding desperately to a tree trunk in one of the higher branches. Below the boy, the water had swarmed under the tree and blocked off any hopes of climbing down on his own.

"Shiro! Hang on! I'm coming!" Chihiro screamed. She could faintly see the boy nod and cling tighter to his life line. WIthout wasting time, the woman swept the light up and down the river, looking for a way across, but there was no way to ford the waters without going in them. It was dangerous enough with the horrible conditions, but swimming through the water might kill Chihiro.

There was no way to reach Shiro without risking her life. She didn't have to go upstream and find an alternative route. The branch that Shiro was on was thin and with the added rain could snap any second.

The situation was extremely dire now.

"Ogino-san!"

In slow motion almost, Chihiro heard a sickening crack and a heavy splash. She brought the flashlight up in time to see a red coat go under the waves. Without thinking, Chihiro ripped off her raincoat and threw aside her flashlight.

"SHIRO!"

Chihiro dove into the raging waters with practiced grace. She had learned her lesson and self taught herself how to swim when they moved to the city. There was still a big difference between the still, regulated waters of the public pool compared to this monster of nature.

The current tossed Chihiro like a rag doll around and around. Waves smashed against her body as she distressingly tried to swim forward. Whenever her head broke the surface of the water, she took long breaths for she didn't know if she was ever coming back up. Even in the waves she could somewhat see the bright red from Shiro's coat. It was the only shining beacon the lead her on.

" _Hang on, I'm coming!"_

Once she had finally reached Shiro, she yanked at his coat and held on as tight as she could. Whenever they had a chance to breath, Chihiro would use all of her strength to thrust the boy above before her. It was a struggle as they were flipped and sometime bashed against the rocks on the bed of the river.

No matter what, Chihiro held on and did her best to make sure Shiro was alive. She could feel her body starting to slip though. Her mind was fading with each time she shielded the child from the worst of the bumps and rocks. Blood from scratches mixed in with the water and sometimes would enter her mouth.

It was getting too much for the woman. Her breathing had begun to slow, the cold was making her sleepy and all she wanted now was to let it happen. Shiro was doing his best to help himself, but didn't have the strength to even lift his head.

Everything was becoming a blur and the current pulled the two under for far too long. Chihiro tried to find a way to the shore, but failed multiple times. Water was starting to break into her system, causing her to panic.

Suddenly, all she could see was mother's face, a sun had dappled her cheeks and brought a feeling of comfort and safety. The image blurred and then came Lin and Kanmji working and chatting in the boiler room. The old spider's helpers scurried to and fro without a single hitch in their steps. No Face, Boh, and the fly played games with yarn, smiles despite not being seen. Granny was making the most wonderful tea, ready when Chihiro got there. Kuro groomed himself in the shade of a sakura tree, petals raining down on his silky fur.

Finally, someone that seemed familiar yet so far. A long and high pony tail with ruff bangs that splayed across his forehead. Eyes that peered into the soul and seemed to glimmer with the sunlight. A defined face that had matured since that summer so long ago. Clothes finely tailored and a knowing grin that Chihiro had longed to see once more.

"H..aku..."

All at once everything had gone white. Shiro and Chihiro both were floating, but weren't at the same time. The water's stopped raging, but the two couldn't even kick their legs from their fight with the rough currents that brought them so far from their starting place. Despite that, a scaly body had circled them and carried them away to shore.

"A promise is a promise, and it looks like you have one also to fulfill, Chihiro..."

* * *

Chihiro limped up the dirt path while surveying the farmland around her. The potatoes would be ready soon, but the carrots may need a week or two more to grow. Their neighbor's rice crop had been very successful despite the storm.

The woman stopped and leaned heavily on her crutch. The air was clearer than normal lately and the river in the woods had returned to normal. Her father had decided to buy up some more land for next year and had even made a deal with a few markets in the city that would leave them with an outstanding prophit this year.

"Things are looking up, aren't they?" Chihiro mused and tucked a stray lock behind her ear. Her purple hair tie had somehow remain in her hair during her trip down the river, and that was a good omen in her book.

After taking a good view of the land, Chihiro continued back up to her house where she would rest her foot for a spell. As she did, she couldn't help but recall what she thought about when she almost drowned along with Shiro that night.

The thought of dying had scared her enough, but was she really seeing things, or was it something more? Had her friends really come to save her? Did she momentarily cross over to the spirit world?

And the voice that was so foreign yet unforgettable. Who had spoken?

* * *

 _Thwack! Smack!_

Chihiro panted as she hoed out the weeds seemed to be popping up in a certain section of her farm. In other spots, it wasn't as bad. In this one section though it was a different story. And she thought the bunny incident of last year was a chore, but this was just pure torture.

It had been tough since her father had finally passed away, leaving Chihiro with the family farm and all his business partners in the city. He gave her the fishing rod and now left it on her shoulders to use that to bring in her share of fish each day. Now and again, Shiro would stop in to pay off his life debt to the lady, but most of the time it was all on her to pick up the slack.

Today was one of those days where she had to take care of the hard labor solo. At least she could handle the activity in stride.

After the entire patch of weeds had been dealt with, Chihiro leaned on her hoe and pulled out a handkerchief. She wiped the sweat from her brow and smirked at the horrendous bane of existence with relief.

"That'll teach you to grow in my potato crop." A dog nearby wagged his tail as his owner bragged at her weeding skills with the pride of a mother. Chihiro shouldered her hoe and grabbed the bucket of weeds. She turned on her heel and exited the patch of potatoes with gusto. The dog got on all four and lolled its pink tongue.

"Come on Bisha, time to head back for lunch."

Bisha yipped and followed his master as she walked back up the dirt road to their home. The sun beat down on the two as they made the harrowing trek to the farm house. The hound pranced around Chihiro, kicking up dust as the almost made it up the hill to the home.

"Calm down, Bisha! I can't keep up!" Chihiro chuckled through her fatigue. The dog bounced ahead anyway and disappeared over the crest of the hill. The farmer sighed and shook her head. "That doofus..."

Chihiro made the last trek up the hill and was met with a blinding sun. She squinted on impulse and covered her eyes with one hand. Her house was haloed in the light of the afternoon sun. Bisha had already run ahead and made it to the farm house.

But something was different.

Bisha was skipping in circles around a stranger. From where Chihiro stood, it looked like a man with a white flannel and blue under shirt. He also wore what looked to be blue jeans and sandals. As she got closer, she saw his hair in a high ponytail and was chuckling and playing with her dog.

His voice, his hair, even his clothes though different seemed oddly familiar. As if from another world...

She made a slow approach at first, making sure she wasn't seen. After she had gotten within a good five meter of him, he stopped play with Bisha and turned to meet Chihiro's eyes. What she saw made her perception of everything stop.

Green eyes that showed years of wisdom, but a hint of youth from long ago. Mouth pressed into a firm line that seemed to melt into a smile at the sight of the woman. Time moved a bit more passively, without a fast pace but with a slow crawl.

There the two stood in a stare down. Neither of the young adults moved their gazes or their positions where they stood. The sounds of the world around them seemed to become void and without an air of meaning. It was just Chihiro and the grown up childhood friend.

After a long pause, Chihiro could feel the tears slid down her dirtied cheeks. At long last she decided to croak out the name she longed to speak in the context that was here and now. It felt like a dream, but much much more real.

"Hello again, Haku." Her voice cracked from the pent up feelings that she had bottled in her heart for a rainy day. The young man smiled that oh so familiar grin of his and took a step forward. "It's good to see you Chihiro."

All at once, the emotions that Chihiro had suppressed and cultivated over the years sprung forth in a waterfall of tears that slid down her cheeks in waves. She let out a muffled sob and felt her her knees buckle under the pressure she had been put under for so long. Haku was fast as ever and caught her in the few steps forward he took. He cradled and supported her in his arms as if she were a ten year old again, back at the bathhouse mourning her missing parents. The person her had longed to see was here once more, for real this time.

"You really came." Chihiro cried into his chest while the two sunk to the dust. Chihiro could feel his arm across her back and a hand running through her hair that had come out of it's messy ponytail.

"I promised, didn't I?"

* * *

Chihiro rocked on the porch swing of her home. The stars were incredibly bright tonight and burned white holes in the obsidian sky. Fireflies danced across the grass in clusters of hundreds, illuminating the earth as if they themselves were stars coming to visit her humble farm. The sound of crickets provided a tranquil bit of white noise in place of eerie silence.

"What a nice night." She thought aloud to herself. Her words sliced unnaturally through the air as if they needn't be said or they didn't belong in the peace of the moment. Even so, she looked down to her lap and refocused her attention to her previous task before she decided to go stargazing.

Papers with all sorts of numbers, inventory, and stock graphs lay waiting to be examined. Each one had notes and miscellaneous scrawlings as reminders in the margins that Chihiro herself had jotted down. Some of those notes had arrows drawn to corresponding charts or information that she had printed at the public library in town. It was that time of season to take stock and estimate costs for her crop this season. Fall was reaching an end soon and the final preparations for winter need to be finished promptly.

Not to mention there was the harvest tomorrow that was running behind most other farmers and their harvests. Some her Chihiro's buyers were getting anxious over the three day neglect to confirming the crop number this year.

The woman frowned and started scratching out a faulty number in the corner of the page she had miscalculated. At least the shipment was going out by the end of the week so there was nothing to worry too much about. She would make her pay for the growing season then prepare the soil for the predicted winter conditions. Once all that was over, she would take on another job for the winter to have a little extra money her her pocket.

In a bit of frustration and sleep deprivation, Chihiro set her pen down sucked in a cool breath of autumn air. The wind wasn't turning sour yet, providing some time for outdoor activities, but it wasn't a gentle summer breeze either. The woman only came out here because Bisha refused to leave her alone as she worked. Besides, with a lovely view of the sky and a clean puff of oxygen, how could you go wrong?

Another wisp of night air sent shiver down Miss Ogino's spine. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and let her body react to the sudden chill by shaking as if she were a dying leaf about to fall from it's branch.

"Maybe I should go back inside." Hearing herself speak in the quiet of the night once again made her uncomfortable to be alone much longer. Nonetheless, she shook the feeling off and opted to wrap up what she had begun an hour ago.

Without Chihiro's notice, the front door creaked open and out stepped Haku. In both of his hands were mugs of steaming tea and a blanket rested under his arm. He took a second to watch Chihiro scribble and toil with her craft. A grin played upon his face as he stepped up and took a seat on the hanging bench with her.

Chihiro glanced up, but after seeing who it was put down her work and smiled right back. "Hey Haku. Is something wrong."

Haku shook his head but handed her one of the mugs. "No, but your health may be something. Take this." Chihiro didn't say a word but accepted the mug. The warmth from its contents thawed her cool hands and began to wake her senses from their one track business mind. She gave a tiny bow and scooted closer to the man. "You didn't have to do it, but thank you."

"I have to disagree," he replied, using one hand to awkwardly unfold the blanket, the other holding his mug. "I need to make sure you don't get sick before harvest time. Working on paperwork outside will bring nothing but the flu."

Chihiro giggled and offered to help with the blanket using her other hand. "I know, but the stars were out and the fireflies too." The blanket was fully extended now and wrapped around both of the adult's bodies. "How could I miss that and stay inside?"

Haku hummed under his breath while leaning back into the porch swing. "You do have a point, both so look beautiful tonight." Chihiro beamed and let her head rest on the male's shoulder. She had almost forgotten how tall he had gotten over the years of their separation. Likewise, Haku took advantage of the extra height to snake his hand over her own shoulders, allowing Chihiro to nuzzle deeper into his side. He couldn't complain one bit

Both sat watching the stars and fireflies dance through the night in a ballad that only the pair saw. Over time, the temperature had seemed to drop steadily throughout their sitting yet neither seemed to really mind the change. All they did was huddle close and sip their drinks while enjoying each other's company.

It was strange when the smaller of the two set aside her empty mug and proceeded to wrap her arms around the taller one's neck. Haku flinched at the movement but soon melted into it and wrapped the blanket tighter around them. His arms encircled her in return.

"Is something wrong?" He muttered into her ear. As if sensing a troubled spirit, he began to rub her back in an attempt to provide some level of comfort and trust.

She shifted a bit, uncomfortable with the question and her answer she knew she would have to give to him. Chihiro buried her head in her partner's chest and let herself have a moment of amity before she would unload what has been on her thoughts since Haku had returned just a month ago. A question that had festered in the deepest corners psyche.

"Haku...why did you come back?"

The man's breathing hitched and he peered down at her. Even though her face was hidden in his shirt, he could already see her worried features clearly in his mind. The way her forehead would crinkle with thoughts that seemed to overfill the reaches of her mind, eyes darting around to look elsewhere than straight at him, and not to mention biting her lower lip.

He brought his hand under her chin and raised to confirm that he was correct. Even so, he found it adorable yet all the same disheartening. Haku moved his hand from her chin to cup her flushed cheeks.

"I think I already explained this. I was no longer needed after losing my river in this world and I had was taking up space in the spirit world. Knowing I had a promise to uphold, I came here to live as a mortal."

Chihiro laid her own hand over his and let her eyes close. A melancholic frown had replaced the lip biting and her heart dropped to her feet.

"I remember, I know, but why me?" She could feel something akin to guilt pricking her emotions with varying shades of regret. "You could've stayed in your world and lived the rest of your life in luxury. You could've found another river to call home, somewhere far away."

"Chihiro..."

"You are a spirit that deserves more than a farmhouse and working the land, so why?" Her voice was cracking under the strain that her feelings that seemed to have refused being bottled up anymore. Feelings had become words and words had become action.

Chihiro opened her eyes and felt a tear trail fall slowly down her face. "Why come back to fulfill a childhood promise?"

Haku watched the tear as it glided effortlessly across Chihiro's skin. It was like watching the river he once loved and called home cut it's way through the world, making a path that would widen out and pathe the way for new possibilities. But tears are not rivers and couldn't solve much but the desire to express only the strongest of emotions, good or horrible they may be.

His mouth curved upwards and his thumb easily wiped away salt water. "Now that is something I never told," he began while resting his forehead against Chihiro's, "but now is a better time than any."

As surprised by the action the way she was, Chihiro somehow managed to mumble out the simplest of questions. "Haku, what do you mean?"

Haku brought up both his hands to cradle the tender face of his childhood companion. The one he had cared, fought, lied, stole, and somehow lived for was now here and still taking his breath far away. His heart felt like it was swelling with quiet courage to say what he needed to finally confess as soon as he could.

"I never told you this, but I have watched over you since the day you left." Chihiro let out a small gasp. "Y-you've been watching over me this whole time?"

She could feel him nod before he went on. "I saw you grow and mature as a person and a strong young woman. I felt something I had never felt before." His thumbs stroked her face in gentle, even circles that made Chihiro's heart race at the top speed of sound. She was certain that Haku could hear it with his enhanced senses that hadn't dulled in the slightest in his transition from spirit to man.

"I felt something new that I had never felt before. A longing, a pain, and what I can only describe as undying admiration are just a scratching the surface." She could feel his warm breath mixed with the taste of the tea and cherries he had grown fond of during his arrival. There was deep meaning in his voice echoed deep within her soul.

"I think I fell in love."

Haku brought his hands away from Chihiro's face and took the blanket off of his shoulders. She felt a chill where his warm, calloused skin had provided support for her burdened thoughts. He wrapped the remaining part of the blanket around her and made sure she was neatly wrapped and cozy. With a small pat on her shoulders, he he sighed in an almost dejected manner.

"But I know that it's unfair to expect that you feel the same." His eyes lowered as something flashed in his them, despair that screamed louder than words. "It's too much to ask for."

Not wanting to wait anymore, Chihiro acted on her own feelings and closed the distance between them until their lips were touching. At first Haku had recoiled at the sudden action and almost pulled away; But soon he was immersed in the action and was tilting his head ever so slightly to find a good angle.

There was no intense passion or lust behind it, but more of a deep longing born from separation of the spirit. It was a humble exchange of their anticipation and need for one another's sweet company.

In the middle and most important, there was love. Love that was strange and beaten. It had been challenged and thrown across quite literally words and planes of existence. Their love was expressed through their lives and actions that then were shared with others around them. In essence, their love was not something that only two could see, but for the world to witness.

It felt like almost an eternity, but soon both need to come up for air. They were panting when they broke off, creating small clouds in the breeze. When their eyes met, surprise and wanting seemed to reflect in both glassy pairs of irises. All they same, there was respect and content with what was given to one another.

Chihiro giggled and pressed her forehead affectionately against Haku's.

"You dumby, I love you too..."


End file.
